The use of communication (e.g., conference, videoconference, teleconference, etc.) systems in personal and commercial settings has increased dramatically so that meetings between people in remote locations can be facilitated. In general, communication systems allow users, in remote locations, to communicate interactively with each other via live or recorded, simultaneous two-way video streams, audio streams, or both. Some communication systems (e.g., CISCO WEBEX provided by CISCO SYSTEMS, Inc. of San Jose, Calif., GOTOMEETING provided by CITRIX SYSTEMS, INC. of Santa Clara, Calif., ZOOM provided by ZOOM VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS of San Jose, Calif., GOOGLE HANGOUTS by ALPHABET INC. of Mountain View, Calif., and SKYPE FOR BUSINESS provided by the MICROSOFT CORPORATION, of Redmond, Wash.) also allow users to share display screens that present, for example, images, text, video, applications, and any other content items that are rendered on the display screen(s) the user is sharing.
State-of-the-art communication systems may provide dedicated cameras and monitors to one or two or more individuals, simulating innovative room arrangements to make the remote participants feel like they are in the same room together at a single location by placing monitors and speakers at locations where a remote meeting participant would be sitting, if they were attending in person.
A networked meeting represents one popular form of electronic collaboration that facilitates communication between two or more participants present at separate physical locations. Participants of a communication session in a networked meeting are able to exchange live video, audio, and other data to view, hear, and otherwise share information. Participants can also view a common space, e.g., a whiteboard or a shared application, through which ideas can be exchanged. Viewing of the common space can be complemented with a video and audio conference, an instant messaging session, or any combination thereof, such that the networked meeting can act as a near substitute for an in-person meeting.
Information exchanged and discussed during a networked meeting may be automatically or manually recorded for review or analysis at some later time. For example, it may be beneficial to review or analyze a live or recorded networked meeting to ascertain conclusions, consensus, or disagreements on various topics that arose during the meeting. Furthermore, it may also be beneficial to review or analyze a live or recorded networked meeting to determine if participants require assistance or expertise on various topics that arose during the meeting.
However, from time to time, it may be difficult for participants to come to a consensus on various topics presented during a meeting. To make joint decisions, participants are often required to perform a number of manual tasks, e.g., gather supplemental information, make phone calls, send additional emails, communicate with teammates who may not be in attendance, etc., while the meeting is ongoing. Such tasks may lead to unwanted delay or missed opportunities, particularly when time-sensitive scenarios are presented. Furthermore, scenarios may arise in which participants in a meeting express the need to seek assistance or expertise on various topics that arose during the meeting. Such issues are exacerbated when individuals have to make group decisions afterward based on a recording of a meeting that took place previously. For example, the review or analysis of a recorded meeting may consume considerable time.